The specific aims of this proposal are to determine: whether or not a dental sealant knowledge-gap exists among households where education is the stratifying variable; if children whose parents have higher knowledge & better attitudes about dental sealants and more connectedness have higher frequency of sealant placement; if more children have sealants when there are more health-related community supports such as HMO's specialists, or greater dentist/population ratios. Although sealants have been shown to decrease dental caries, dentists have been slow to use them. Researchers have measured sealant knowledge, attitudes, and practices of dentists; but few have examined parental characteristics or community factors associated with the presence of dental sealants in children. The purpose of this study is to examine parental knowledge of, and attitudes towards dental sealants as well as network characteristics which may be associated with increased dental sealant presence. Knowledge of patterns of information flow and distribution of knowledge within communities is critical to the success of any health education program aiming to increase use of a preventive health technology. The research design is a one-time, cross-sectional epidemiologic survey of school children in 3 Minnesota communities representing northern, central, and southern regions. Dental examinations will be conducted in schools by a licensed dentist aided by a dental assistant. Only second and seventh grade children whose parents actively consent to the examination will be eligible to participate. Consent forms will be sent home with the child and returned to the school. The dental examination involves evaluation of decay, existing restorations, sealants, and tooth eruption patterns. Dental explorers and mirrors will be used; current infection control procedures will be followed; no radiographs will be taken. Dental examinations are subject to approval be schools. After completion of dental examinations, a randomly selected sample of 360 households whose children do (case) and do not (control) have sealants will be interviewed by telephone for knowledge, attitude, and networking characteristics. The survey instrument will be pretested and the interview conducted by trained interviewers. Any reports or papers will present grouped data. No individuals will be identified.